Detective Comics #816: A Quick Visual Medical Review
March 9th, 2006
It starts out promising, with an extremely well drawn hospital room scene. Towards the end of the issue, however, there’s a slip. While the art remains very good, the last several years of medical privacy laws no longer permit the patient’s name to posted outside the room anymore (or anywhere a non-hospital employee might see it).
From Detective Comics #816, “Victims, part Two.” Art by Cliff Chiang, words by Shane McCarthy.
March 10th, 2006 at 9:29 am
Unlike most of the gaffes you catch, Scott, I’m going to say this one should be excused by artistic license. I think the artist did a lot of research–you don’t just have a nametag outside the door, you have big, blocky numerals, which is realistic, and most importantly (and something I wouldn’t have thought offhand to put in there), you have a place to stash the chart. I think that shows that the artist is working hard at realism.
That said, it adds a bit of dramatic tension (although unecessary) to see Alfred’s name on it. I’m not going to play writer guessing game as to why Alfred would be in a conventional hospital, on an unsecured floor, or why millionaire Bruce Wayne couldn’t have 1,000 armed guards around him . . . ugh. Batman comic make me head hurt so bad.
Hmm. No-prize attempt: Batman WANTS his name on the door, because it’s a trap for Zszazasazasaz!! That’s not Alfred, that’s . . . ugh, again.
Where are the answers to the quiz????
March 10th, 2006 at 9:38 am
Official Comment
Well, you’re right…it is a trap for Zzassszzz (or however it’s spelled). Names on doors was a common practice when I was in residency, but now it earns big big $$$$ fines. Still, if anyone deserves some artistic license, it’s Chiang.
March 16th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Wow, this is great! I wondered if someone would catch that. Yes, I was hesitant to put the name on the door, but it was called for in the script (the writer is Australian, so he’s probably unaware of our privacy laws. Given that the name had to be on the door (Zsasz has to enter hospital quickly and dispatch the police guarding the room, so no time for looking up records on the computer), I tried to keep the rest of the details in line with that. Thus, chart holder, hinged room number (to easily replace patient names) and the little square next to the room number was supposed to be a braille number (but I got lazy and the pages were due!).
You both get No-Prizes!
May 11th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
Here in the Netherlands the names of the patients are still listed outside the room; it seems very American to not do so. Bet y’all don;t have communal wards anymore either?
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